Redtwist Theatre presents The Normal Heart

CHICAGO– Award-winning Redtwist Theatre is proud to announce the second production in its 2023 – 2024 Season of Pride at its home in Edgewater, the newly renovated Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The 19th season continues with The Normal Heart, August 18 – September 22, written by Larry Kramer and directed by Ensemble Member Ted Hoerl. The performance schedule is Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. The anticipated running time, including intermission, is 120 minutes. Single tickets will go on sale later this summer for $35 at RedtwistTheatre.org with discounts available for seniors, students and industry professionals and pay-what-you-can for all Friday performances. 

Larry Kramer’s beautiful, searing play about the earliest days o35f the AIDS epidemic, based on his experience organizing Gay Men’s Health Crisis, opens Redtwist’s newly renovated venue. The play, winner of Tony, Drama Desk and Olivier Awards, tells the story of an advocacy group that struggled against government suppression and internal strife in the face of the disappearance of their community. This heart wrenching, humanist play, written more than 40 years ago about a small group of advocates calling for action from a government that insists that nothing is wrong, seems darkly familiar and more universal than ever.

The Normal Heart cast includes Peter Ferneding (he/him, Ned Weeks); Zachary Linnert (he/him, Felix Turner); Philip C. Matthews (he/him, Bruce Niles); Joshua Servantez* (he/him, Mickey Marcus); Cameron Austin Brown (he/him,Tommy Boatwright); Christopher Meister (he/him, Ben Weeks); Tamara Rozofsky(she/her, Dr. Emma Brookner); Gardy Gilbert (he/him, Hiram/David/Examining Doctor/Orderly); Caleb Crawford (he/him, Craig/ Grady/Orderly); Matt Fayfer (he/him, Ned Weeks U/S); Riley Lucas (he/him, Felix Turner U/S); Michael Oakes (he/they, Bruce Niles U/S); Eddie Ledford (he/him, Mickey Marcus U/S); Cameron Cai (he/him, Tommy Boatwright U/S); Phil Aman (he/him, Ben Weeks U/S) and Brenden Zwiebel (he/him, Craig/Grady/Orderly U/S). 

The Normal Heart production team includes Ted Hoerl* (he/him, director);Rashaad A. Bond (he/him, assistant director); Taylor Pfenning (she/her, costume designer); Nick Bartleson (he/him, props designer); Ashly Demay (she/her, dramaturg); Cat Davis* (she/her, lighting designer); Amy Rappa (they/she, stage manager); Dusty Brown* (they/them, co-artistic director) and Eileen Dixon* (she/they, co-artistic director). 

*indicates Redtwist Theatre Ensemble Member